Transmission Slipping – Should You Change The Filter and Fluid?
Reader Question: My transmission is starting to slip, should I change the transmission filter?
Thanks,
Alan
Dear Alan,
The best answer to your question depends on the age and mileage of your vehicle.
Lower Mileage Cars
If it is a newer vehicle with less than 80,000 miles, I would recommend regular servicing of the transmission every 25,000 miles, including changing the fluid and internal filter. It is important that you maintain the transmission early on in the life of the vehicle, or you could set yourself up for real trouble if you change the transmission fluid later on (discussed below).
Regular servicing of the transmission can provide longer life expectancy, smoother shifting, and increased performance.
Some fast lube places service transmissions by “flushing” the transmission using a special machine that acts like a blood transfusion machine. It pumps out the transmission fluid, filters it, then recirculates it back into the transmission several times until the fluid is clean. I have mixed emotions about this procedure.
Yes, I will agree that with this machine it is possible to remove more of the old dirty fluid from inside the transmission than the conventional method of removing the transmission pan, draining the fluid and replacing the internal filter, but I feel very strongly that the internal filter should also be changed. Metal and plastic debris become lodged in the filter, and I have seen the filter itself break down and become compacted to the point that it restricts fluid flow.
If the fluid has become contaminated with water or some other foreign fluid, then I would recommend the flush method, but for regular maintenance I prefer the tried-and-true way of draining the old fluid and replacing the filter. If you have any doubt as to what method would be right for your vehicle, seek the advice of a qualified transmission shop.
I really feel the reason these fast lube places have adopted this flush method is because it lessons the chance of “mechanic error” while removing the transmission pan and filter, not necessarily because it is the best way to perform transmission maintenance.
Higher Mileage Cars
If your vehicle has high mileage (> 80,000 miles) and regular transmission servicing has been preformed as recommended, seek the advice of a qualified transmission shop if you experience a problem such as:
* Slipping
* Hard or erratic shifting
* Slow to shift when engine is cold (first thing in the morning)
If your vehicle has high mileage (> 80,000 miles) and the transmission has not been maintained, I would not recommend replacing the fluid and filter. The fluid that has been in the transmission all this time has become dirty and gritty. This gritty fluid is actually providing needed friction for the worn internal parts of the transmission.
Changing the fluid and replacing the filter would remove this friction that the internal transmission parts have become dependent on. If you have not been regularly maintaining the transmission throughout the life of the car, you might actually be doing more harm than good if you replace the transmission fluid at this point. For example, putting new clean slick transmission fluid in an older high mileage vehicle could cause the transmission to slip.
If you are not experiencing a problem, have over 80,000 miles on your car, and have not kept up regular maintenance on the transmission, my advice would be to leave the transmission fluid and filter alone. If you are experiencing a transmission problem like those listed above, seek the advice of a qualified transmission shop before allowing your regular mechanic to service the transmission.
I learned about this problem several years ago…the hard way. We had two cars in our shop with these “minor” transmission symptoms that I have listed above, and both of them had to be towed out to the transmission shop after servicing. The old fluid was gritty due to metal shavings caused by normal internal wear and tear on the transmission clutches and was acting like liquid sandpaper.
This “sandpaper” was producing the friction needed for the transmission to pull itself. When we changed the filter and replaced the old fluid with new fluid, the clutches inside the transmission had nothing to grab on to. Sometimes even the best of us learn lessons the hard (and expensive) way.
Blessings,
Austin Davis
Category: Transmission Issues
hi i have a 93 ford explorer with 290k miles. its like my transmission dont want to shift until i let go the pedal and slowly press it. then it will shift. other than that if i do relase the pedal it just goes up into high rev.
should i flush my tranny ? check my timing belts? email me back ! thanks
Check your transmission fluid level first, low fluid can cause this.
You will need to seek a transmission mechanic, I am not one. BUT I would bet a lot of shiny pennies that you need a new transmission or overhaul this one. Personally I would call the Ford parts department of a FEW dealerships and get the price of a Ford rebuilt transmissions, I bet you could negotiate lower prices with each phone call. Then call your local general mechanic and get a price on installation of this new transmission. The transmission from Ford is ready to bolt up….even has the transmission fluid already installed. AND you get a Ford national warranty for not a whole bunch more money than a local transmission shop that may or may not give you as good a quality repair and not near the warranty. this has nothing to do with timing belts…and you do not have one anyway.
I have a used car that over 200,000 miles I got it when it was 180,000 the transmission guild is really dark my friend who works on car told memto take a qourt of fluid out and put a qourt back in so that way it slowly cleans the transmission is this a good idea?
Well, that will work…BUT any NEW SLICK transmission fluid inside an older worn transmission could cause slipping since you are taking out the gritty sand paper like fluid which is probably helping to give the internal clutches enough friction to not slip. I would probably leave things alone and just drive the vehicle until things blow up on their own. No sense speeding up the process.
I have a taurus 2006 with 120,000 miles is been cared for extremely well, 23,000 miles ago the tran s fluid and filter was changed but no flush, it runs perfect should I flush it next time?
I prefer changing the filter over flushing, so keep doing what you are doing
Hello i have ford taurus 99 it has a 144k on it i have no idea how the previous owner take care of the car, recently the tranny start to kick if i switch from p to d, and i was wondering if i change the transmission fluid. What is your opinion on that case, should i take a new one? or not
I would definitely check the transmission fluid level and top off as needed. it could just be low on fluid. If the fluid is full, I would visit your local transmission shop and get them to take a test drive with you and experience the issue and get their opinion. You will be taking a risk, if you change the fluid and filter with this mileage and not knowing the maintenance history.
Thanks for the advice
i have an 06 ford expedition with 92k on it. i have flushed the trans oil at 50k, and was getting ready to do a trans filter replacement and trans oil flush. is this advisable being i flushed the system at 50k.
I think you will be fine.
I have a 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee. When I get to between 50 to 55 mph, (especially if I am going up a hill, on the interstate), the car starts to lunge and the tach jumps revs up and down, over and over, etc. Even when I get to a straight stretch, once this starts, it doesn’t stop. I have brought it to numerous mechanics, along with the Jeep dealer, and nobody knows why it does that. They have put it on the computer, but there are no codes that show up. Do you have any ideas? I am getting desperate. Thank you for any help you can give me.
these types of problems are HARD to diagnose and repair….as you are finding out. I would start by ruling out as many things as you can. If you were at my shop I would.
1. Try driving in drive, NOT overdrive, if you have the option to do so. If the problem does not show up in drive I would be suspect of a transmission issue. Relay, or solenoid failure for overdrive gear
2. I would make sure you are not experiencing an engine miss like due to a bad spark plug wire. Plug wires tend to breakdown and cause problems when they are stressed…like going up hills or towing. If you have more than 60K miles on your spark plugs and wires I would change them out.
3. Look for anything else that is happening, do headlights dim down, gauges act erratic, is engine running hot, is there smoke coming out the tailpipe etc.
Hello! My concern is very similar to the guy above me but it doesn’t quite “lunge.” At 60-70 (I don’t go faster really) cruising, my car (1990 Cadillac Eldorado with 209k miles) will sort of jump about 200 rpm’s every now and then (maybe every 20 seconds or so)and then immediately goes back down to where it was. I live in Phoenix so the roads are straight and flat. Every gear seems normal except this overdrive. I don’t have the option for drive, just 1, 2, 3, and OD.
I actually have an appointment for a flush on Friday but after reading this article, I’m not sure that’s the best idea.
I think flushing would be a bad idea and probably make things MUCH worse, if the car even will move at all afterwards (happened to a vehicle in my shop
Just due to your high mileage, I am pretty leery of the need for an overhaul, those vehicles just don’t seem to hold up like the newer versions or a Toyota, Honda etc. etc. EVEN a 1990 Toyota Camry with 209K miles….I would kinda expect to have to overhaul the transmission. You probably need the OD clutch replaced, but everything else inside will be the same age and condition and will also need to be replaced once your transmission is opened.
Now, if you just want to try something and cross your fingers, I would recommend a bottle of this additive http://www.lucasoil.com/products/display_products.sd?iid=29&catid=2 which I have used with good luck in the past, although NOTHING is going to cure the need for new parts inside your transmission other than an overhaul. Overhauling this transmission will be expensive, and honestly I would not sink that kind of money into this vehicle just do to age and mileage and the probability of other major repairs due to age and mileage.
I have a 96 Toyota Paseo, automatic, with over 200,000 mi. A while back, I hit a curb, and immediately started losing trans.fluid. It took me a few months of frequently topping off the fluid before I had it looked at (but I quit driving it as much during that time.) They fixed the leak by replacing some bolts? or something, I think on the pan?, under the front end of the car(where I’d hit the curb.) I went out of town about that time, and someone else drove it while I was gone. So I’m not sure how it was running during that time. I do know that right before I got back, they changed out the fluid. Now I’m driving it again, and it’s definitely got a problem. Slow to shift, RPM’s go way up til it “catches up”, real sluggish and uneven acceleration getting going, sometimes even have to downshift or click the o/d button to get it moving above a crawl, sometimes revs up high seemingly for no reason… After reading what you said about it being a bad idea to change the fluid in high mileage cars, especially if they haven’t been well-maintained (which is how I’d describe my car), I suspect this is the problem. So my question is, what if you already did it? Is there anything to do after the fact to help it? Seems like if the problem is that the new fluid is too slick, isn’t there anything I can add to it now to give it some “friction”? And would you expect this to get better or worse with time? Will it act like this while the fluid is still new, and then get better as it gets older? Or is this damaging the transmission driving it like it is? Thanks for any help!
Check and make sure the transmission fluid is still full, if it is….there is no help and you will need to overhaul this transmission or get a new rebuilt one………or take a gamble on a used one from a junk yard and have your local mechanic install it for you. 200K is pretty darn good, so you got your money’s worth. Driving around with it leaking fluid probably was not healthy for it, especially being kinda old and worn to begin with.
I have a 3.6L Cadillac CTS-2005 w/ 124.000 mi. It seems that there is tranny slippage (auto) downshifting from 2 to 1 and a bit of hard shifting from 1 to 2. It happens intermittently, but last week i had a new radiator put in and it is shifting harder. What are some possible diagnoses?
First thing I would do is check the transmission fluid level and top off as needed, hopefully its just a little low on fluid. I would not recommend running out and changing the fluid or filter inside the transmission unless you get a local transmission shop to drive the vehicle with you and give you their opinions.
Our car won’t go…some “self proclaimed” mechanics are saying that it’s the whole transmisson, and i fear the Ford dealership wants me to just pay the 2096 dollars without making sure its not something i can fix on my own first. The gears won’t work…When i start the car, i’ll switch into a gear and it’ll start making a churning or buzzing sound…like “uerrrrrrr-errrrrr” everytime i press on the gas…We are getting a new car tomorrow, but my daughter wanted this car for christmas, before it started messing up..First it was just slipping and the person i had look at it, supposedly fixed it, but then it broke down right in front of my driveway…I had some men push it in, and it’s been sitting there for about a month now…I want to know if it’s anything i can try first before just giving up on this car…The gasket, the s- somehting pack? Anything that’ll allow me to fix this car…It was used when i bought it, but it doesn’t have too many miles on it. Please let me know what to try…Anything works. Remember, it won’t drive when i switch gears, it just makes a buzzing sound.
If the transmission is full of fluid, then something internal has failed and the transmission will likely need to come out of the vehicle, be torn down for inspection before an actual estimate can be given as to price and what exactly has failed. When you do this you better be prepared to completely rebuild this transmission….which is why they are telling you to expect to pay $2, 000. Depending on the vehicle model and year, you might be able to buy a remanufactured transmission from Ford and have your local mechanic install it for you, be cheaper than paying Ford mechanic and you still get same warranty from Ford.
I jusr bought a 2001 vw jetta vr6 with 130xxx miles on it and put 4xxx on it…recently the reverse has gone sluggish, works some times no problem…but others i find myself pushing the gas pedal down and revving up to 3000 RPMS before im CRAWLING backwards…im not to sure of the level or care on the car before i bought it…im 4 months in on a $5000 loan…please some advice. Its a 2001 vw jetta vr6 GLX, automatic
If the transmission fluid level is full, then I can only assume you have an internal transmission problem that will probably require an overhaul. I would visit your local transmission shop and talk to them, I don’t think I would change the fluid just because it might make things worse.
this advice to avoid servicing transmission on high mileage vehicles is bogus. sure, if the transmission is going out servicing it may not save it, but people should be servicing the transmission (pan drop and filter replacement) every 30,000 miles. you are giving bad advice when you write, “…don’t service high mileage transmissions…”
Say what you like, but I have had the unfortunate experience of telling my customer their car won’t drive out of the shop after a transmission service, even when it drove in just fine. If you have not kept up with regularlly scheduled services and you have high mileage, it’s a huge risk to take. Somethings are better left alone if you are not experiencing a problem. I wouldn’t advise my grandmother to start jogging at 90 years of age if she had not been jogging on a regular schedule before hand
hi, i have a 1997 escort with 145,00 miles and my problem is that when im driving and when i hit 45-50 my car starts to do a jerking. it only does it in drive 1( i know because i teseted it n drive 2 and no jerking)oh and it only happenes sometimes.
Yes, it could be a transmission issue and you should check the fluid level first. BUT it could also be a bad spark plug wire causing an engine miss. if the spark plug wires are older than 60,000 miles I would replace them as a guess (and part of maintenance) first and see what happens. The more strain is placed on the engine the harder the spark plug wires have to work.
3rd gear at 45 miles an hour is like riding a 10 speed bike at 10 mph but in 10th gear, you really have to work at it to keep the bike moving. If the plug wires (and you should replace distributor cap/rotor if you have them and spark plugs….a full tune up) and you still have the issue, have a transmission shop drive it with you, you might have a solenoid problem in the transmission called a lock up solenoid. I am not a transmission mechanic so that is all I know.
I just acquired a 243K mile 96 GMC Yukon 4×4. The engine seems stout but it won’t engage the reverse gear. 1st and 2nd seem to slip a little, but they do get there. I went to check the fluid and the locking dipstick wasn’t locked nor would it. The fluid also was a little low but I’m not sure if I let it warm enough. Could this slack dipstick and/or the low level of fluid be the culprit? Or do I need to just take it to the shop?
Thx in advance!
Well, at that mileage, age and symptoms you are describing I can only assume the transmission is toast and needs to be overhauled. I would check and top off the transmission fluid level first obviously before I did anything major here. Reverse gear is usually the first gear to show signs of internal wear….slow to engage, then slips once it does. Seems to be a little better when the engine and transmission fluid are warmed up than first thing in the morning when the engine and fluid are cold.
I would visit your local transmission shop and get their opinions, but honestly if you take this transmission out for “inspection” you better count on overhauling it completely. This is a big job being a 4×4 and there really is nothing external that can be done. I dont think changing the fluid or filter would help either, but ask the transmission shop for their opinion, you might make things worse by doing so…and spending money needlessly.
A used transmission from a junk yard that offers a warranty might be an alternative to overhauling this one? Worth a few phone calls to see what your options are.
I have a 96 Jetta GLS with auto transmission. It does not appear to be slipping and drives fine. However it will all of a sudden lock up. I can mess with the drive selector or shut off the car and start it again and go for a bit and then the same thing all over. I loaded it on a trailer with no problems, no slipping of the transmission and brought it home and unloaded it no problem. I need you advice on how to proceed next and if I should be looking for a transmission. I bought the car recently and the person told me it had done it to them a few times, they were good at servicing the engine, but I do not think the tranny has been serviced.
Thanks!
I am not that familiar with the internal workings of the Jetta transmission, but I would assume it has a “lock up converter” solenoid inside like most transmissions do. When the vehicle gets to about 35MPH the solenoid inside the transmission will engage the torque converter and lock it into place to help improve fuel mileage.
Does your issue happen when you are driving faster than 35 MHp or close to that speed? Since you said you can wiggle the gear shift and shut off the vehicle and things return to normal, which would reset the lock up solenoid would give me reason to suspect a problem with it.
Most GM cars, the lock up solenoids can be replaced fairly easily without having to overhaul the transmission. I would visit a local transmission shop and get their opinion first before I did anything. I would not recommend servicing the fluid in this vehicle at this time without a transmission shop approval. For one, I don’t think it will help the issue, for 2, I think it COULD make things much worse and cause a slipping problem.